TCEQ daily air quality forecast

Published 4:53 am, Monday, August 1, 2016

Monday 08/01/2016

Winds may be light enough and incoming background levels high enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

African dust that arrived in South Texas yesterday has rapidly spread northward and is covering much of the eastern half of the state this morning. Overall, the dust is forecast to raise the daily PM2.5 AQI into the "Moderate" range in the Austin, Brownsville-McAllen, Corpus Christi, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio, and Victoria areas and the upper end of the "Good" range in the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas. However, additional contributions from light continental haze and/or sufficient local add-on could be enough for the daily PM2.5 AQI to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in Dallas-Fort Worth area as well.

Elsewhere in West Texas and the Panhandle, moderate winds and/or lower incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the "Good" range.

Winds may be light enough and incoming background levels high enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth and Tyler-Longview areas, with highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

The African dust should weaken while spreading to cover much of the eastern two-thirds of the state, though dust levels are not expected to be high enough to raise the daily PM2.5 AQI beyond the "Good" range on their own in most areas. However, additional contributions from light continental haze and/or sufficient local add-on could be enough for the daily PM2.5 AQI to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, Tyler-Longview, and Waco-Killeen areas.

Elsewhere in far West Texas and parts of the Panhandle, moderate winds and/or lower incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the "Good" range.

Wednesday 08/03/2016 Outlook

Winds may be light enough and incoming background levels high enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, and Houston areas, with highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Slightly elevated background levels associated with a mixed air mass containing light amounts of patchy lingering African dust and continental haze combined with sufficient local add-on could be enough for the daily PM2.5 AQI to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston areas as well.

Elsewhere in the state, moderate winds and/or lower incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the "Good" range.

Thursday 08/04/2016 Outlook

Winds may be light enough and incoming background levels high enough for ozone to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in the Dallas-Fort Worth and El Paso areas, with highest concentrations in the afternoon and early evening.

Slightly elevated background levels associated with a mixed air mass containing light amounts of patchy lingering African dust and continental haze combined with sufficient local add-on could be enough for the daily PM2.5 AQI to reach the lower end of the "Moderate" range in parts of the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas as well.

Elsewhere in the state, moderate winds and/or lower incoming background levels should help to keep air quality in the "Good" range.